Nitrogen pollution on Long Island has increased by as much as 200 percent in the last decade.

Why does this matter? In 2017, every major bay and estuary across Long Island was afflicted by toxic algal blooms or oxygen-starved waters or both. For generations, nitrogen from leaky septic systems has leaked into our underground aquifer, resulting in impaired drinking water, beach closings, toxic algal blooms, shellfish die-off and more. Industrial pollution and harmful man-made chemicals like 1,4-dioxane have also found their way into our aquifer, further contaminating Long Island’s water resources.

What can we do? The issues are complicated but learning more is a start. The North Shore Land Alliance, The Nature Conservancy and the North Country Garden Club will host a panel discussion on April 24, 2019, at 6:00 pm on one of the most important topics on Long Island today: water. The discussion, featuring leading experts on the topic, will address the challenges Long Island’s water resources face and the solutions available to ensure cleaner, safer water for future generations.